Meet Gem

Gem

Breed: German Shepherd/Husky

Age: 3.5yrs

Sex: Female

Special needs: No

Needs experienced owner: Yes

Good with dogs: Yes

Good with cats: Yes

Good with children: Yes, Older Children

Energy level: High

Fenced yard: Required

About:

Gem is a happy, energetic and playful girl. She adores meeting new doggy friends and does great with pups of all shapes and sizes. She has had limited interactions with cats, however with proper introductions we think she would do well. At times, she can struggle with meeting new people, but with some treats she becomes everyone’s friend.

Gem has had a heartbreaking past (see below). Due to her past, she is working through a lot of trauma and learning how to be a dog again. She is looking for an experienced and patient family who is willing to continue building her confidence and working on gaining her manners back.

Her biggest weakness is food, and she must be watched closely to ensure she does not eat something she is not supposed to. When not being watched, we highly suggest her being crated for her own safety. Unfortunately, this is a common occurrence after a dog is starved. She has already made a lot of progress in this area but still needs more time to realize she will not be starved again and that these behaviors are not necessary or acceptable.

Additionally, she has been working on her house training again. She has been doing great and has not had an accident in several weeks. We do suggest that she is taken out very frequently, to keep her on the right track.

Lastly, Gem can struggle with separation anxiety at times and tends to bark when she can’t be a part of what’s going on. Due to this, we do not feel like she would be a great candidate for apartment living.

Despite all of the things she is working on relearning, Gem has a heart of gold! She is such a loyal, resilient and energetic gal. She would love to join an energetic family who can show her the love and understanding she deserves.

Came into rescue:

Unfortunately, Gem has had a terrible past. She was originally found in Ohio as a stray (we are assuming she was dumped). She was taken into a shelter and we went and pulled her along with a few other pups. She came back to our sanctuary and we started the hunt for her forever home.

At the time, Gem had a hard time meeting new people. Although she wasn’t aggressive, she was very stand-offish and uncomfortable. She had multiple meet and greets, but none that worked out. After months of searching for her right fit, we came across (what we thought) was a great fit for her. During the meeting, Gem took to her new mom and was excited for her next adventure!

Over a year later, we received a concerning call from Saginaw County stating she was brought into their care as a “stray” in unstable condition. They traced her microchip back to us and asked who her adopter was, so they could get in contact with her. Upon giving them the information, they realized that it was actually the owner that brought her in under the false narrative of being a stray.

We quickly went to pick her up and what we walked into was the worst case of abuse we have ever worked with. She was unresponsive, starved almost to death (25lbs), anemic and unable to stand or even lift her head. She was rushed to the emergency vet, where she stayed for over a week requiring tube feeding, blood transfusions and other vital care.

After months of recovery, she is now almost back to her normal happy, goofy and sweet self. We are currently in a case with her abusive owner, and we hope to see her held accountable for what she did. This has been such a heartbreaking and unimaginable case. We can’t wait for Gem to get her happy ever after!

Gem’s Petfinder Profile:

Dog for adoption - Gem, a German Shepherd Dog & Husky Mix in Ortonville, MI | Petfinder